Reactive Materials Process Technical Lead

Job Introduction

Job Description for Reactive Materials Process Technical Lead:

This is where your skills play a critical role in keeping everyone safe. Working in Safety, Security & Safeguards gives you the chance to make your mark on some hugely interesting projects. NNL does work that nobody else in the sector is doing, and this means we need experts like you to make it possible, whilst keeping everyone safe. We’re committed to using nuclear science to benefit society for years to come. This means that you can build a long and successful career here whilst playing a meaningful role in delivering cleaner energy, reducing waste and keeping colleagues and the public out of harm’s way.

NNLs unique Reactive Materials laboratories provide a platform for experiments to solve some of the nuclear industries highest priority technical challenges. You will play a key role in delivering the scientific underpinning to support retrieval and repackaging of legacy waste stored in some of the most hazardous nuclear facilities in the world. Your work will directly contribute to reduce the hazard posed by aging waste storage facilities and will ultimately make the UK a safer place to be. 

The nuclear industry’s interest in molten salt technologies has been increasing at pace as a result of aggressive competition between molten salt nuclear reactor developers. Our unique capabilities position the Reactive Materials team to support the technical underpinning of this potentially revolutionary technology. You would be key contributor in supporting Reactive Materials with our engagement in this growing market.

You will also lead the delivery of safe and efficient analysis work through the lifecycle of a project, along with associated supporting activities within the Reactive Materials Laboratories at Preston, following company procedures and meeting customer expectations, company deliverables and site licence conditions.

Role Responsibility

Main Responsibilities for Reactive Materials Process Technical Lead:

• Leading the delivery of Reactive Materials work packages from the bid/proposal stage to waste disposal and project close out to ensure customer work, expectations and deliverables are met.
• Deliver process chemistry operations and analysis activities as instructed by the Senior Technical Lead, Project Manager and/or Capability Manager to ensure customer work, expectations and deliverables are met.
• Leading delivery of M&A analytical programmes by liaising with analysts across the business to agree analytical schedules and managing the movement of uranic material between laboratories through compliance with NNL Nuclear Material Accountancy and Control procedures and protocols.  
• Co-ordinate and manage waste disposal activities to maintain the team’s environmental responsibilities and ensure compliance with site license conditions.
• Co-ordinate training, support and mentoring of new analysts, graduates and/or apprentices to enable them to become fully SQEP in laboratory methods and practices to enable safe and efficient delivery to the customer, support their career development and develop key skills and capability within the Reactive Materials area.
• Task Supervisor for Reactive Materials Operations.
• Provide support to the Safety Representatives and/or Capability Manager in the production and review of procedural, technical and safety documents within the management system to ensure work permissioning, quality and safety requirements are satisfied.
• Produce and check high quality technical reports and present reports to internal and external stakeholders as an SME for the Reactive Materials area.
• Act as the Reactive Materials Thermal Analysis Technical Expert , to ensure all analysis is conducted in a safe and appropriate manner, technical documents are accurate and reflective of the procedure in use and verified results submitted to the Technical Lead for reporting to the customer.
• Develop relationships thorough technical interactions with internal and external M&A customers and other stakeholders to develop and grow the capability. 
• Responsible for the technical quality of process and analytical chemistry work delivered to M&A customers both internally and externally.  
• Support Senior Technical Lead and Capability Manager on issues affecting delivery ensuring timely notice is presented to relevant stakeholders.
• Lead by example and act as a champion for NNLs values, behaviours and vision.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Criteria for Reactive Materials Process Technical Lead:

• Minimum undergraduate degree in Chemistry/relevant discipline or relevant experience.
• Experienced analytical and process chemist.
• Experience working in a commercial laboratory.
• Experience of supporting delivery of laboratory work to time, cost, and quality. 
• Experience of developing the scope of technical development projects to meet customer requirements.
• Experience of taking a lead role in successfully delivering technical development projects to meet customer requirements.
• Interest and aptitude to develop into a Subject Matter Expert in reactive uranium materials behavior and molten salt science.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to build relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Commitment to meeting stretching targets and deadlines and ability to multi-task.
• Experience working in an active laboratory ensuring compliance with procedures.
• Experience or knowledge of the various waste disposal techniques for an active laboratory.
• Experience in TGA-MS and other thermal and gas analysis techniques.
• Experience of interpreting analytical data.
• Experience of writing detailed scientific reports preferably including peer reviewed journals or these.
• Technical leadership on multifaceted programmes of work. 
• Ability to obtain SC level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment, financial and criminal record checks plus 5 years’ worth of UK residency).

Desirable Criteria for Reactive Materials Process Technical Lead:

• Experience in the preparation, handling and characterization of reactive uranium species including anaerobic glovebox operations.
• Awareness of the principal hazards associated with operations with reactive uranium species and practical means of mitigating the hazards.
• Knowledge or experience supporting work involving physical characterisation techniques.
• Knowledge or experience in immobilisation / package performance chemistry for validation of active waste packages.
• Knowledge or experience in the preparation and characterization of molten salts
• Knowledge or experience in the preparation, characterization and testing of catalysts and catalyst reactor system development.
• Chartership of a relevant professional institute.
• Experience of IOSH working and managing safely practices or equivalent.
• Experience in the use of Q Pulse or similar management systems.

About the Company

Grounded in robust science and decades of experience, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is the authoritative voice in the UK and beyond for technological development within the nuclear power sector.

Our unparalleled understanding of the science, challenges and opportunities makes us an unrivalled authority and partner in the field, providing experts, technologies, and access to cutting-edge facilities to organisations around the world.

Harnessing potential technologies and translating them into to industry-ready solutions means our pioneering approach spearheads international improvement and technological progress.

We work on projects as small as drilling a hole to analyse underground wastes with our integrated micro drilling technology, or as large as developing state-of-the-art power systems for spacecraft, based on radioactive materials

NNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) where NNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging.

Recruitment Agency Notice

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for the provision of recruitment services. Only agencies on our PSL may provide CVs and only when the role is released to them by our recruitment team. We will not accept unsolicited CVs from suppliers not currently on our PSL. We explicitly reserve the right to add candidate details from unsolicited CVs from non-PSL agencies into our own candidate database and to pursue/hire such candidate(s) without any obligation, financial or otherwise, to the agency concerned.

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory